238 Life and Letters of Francis Galton 



But about his Alma Mater he wrote: 



Hotel des Anglais, Valescure, prks St Raphael (Var), France. Nov. 16, 1902. 



Dearest Emma, Your letter lias just come with the 2 extracts. Thank you much ; I was 

 sure that you and Bessy and Erasmus would all be glad to hear of the Darwin Medal. But 

 there is even more to tell, of even yet more value to myself. They have elected me Honorary 

 Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, which is a rare distinction for a man who has not been 

 previously an ordinary fellow, or who is not a professor resident in Cambridge. The beauti- 

 fully conceived and worded letter of Montagu Butler, the Master of Trinity, of which Eva 

 has made a copy for you to keep, will explain much of this. Mr Balfour was, I think, a fellow, 

 anyhow he was one of the most brilliant men of his year. Sir W. Harcourt and Lord 

 Macnaghten were fellows, so I presume was Maitland who is a resident professor. Lord Acton 

 was a professor. Sir G. Trevelyan was 2nd classic of his year, but did not wait long enough 

 in England to gain his fellowship. It was given him after his successful administration as 

 Irish Secretary. Bishop Westcott was of pre-eminent reputation as a theologian and as a 

 classic, and had been an ordinary fellow. So had been Lord Bayleigh. 



So I am in very good company indeed. Is it not pleasant 1 This is a sort of recognition I 

 value most highly. All the more so, as I did so little academically at Cambridge, in large part 

 owing to ill health. But I seem to owe almost everything to Cambridge. The high tone of 

 thought, the thoroughness of its work, and the very high level of ability, gave me an ideal 

 which I have never lost. 



So much egotistically. I am getting much stronger here, and have made the discovery that 

 much of my asthma has been due to warm and overcarpeted rooms. Mine here I have now 

 had cleared of carpet and underlying straw. It feels so much purer and wholesomer. The first 

 night after it was done I had no asthma at all. Looking to past experiences, I now see how 

 commonly warm and carpeted rooms have been associated with my asthma, notably the 

 drawing room of the Athenaeum Club, where I can rarely sit 10 minutes without beginning 

 to cough. I am planning the taking up of carpets in my drawing, dining, bed and dressing 

 rooms at home, and varnishing and staining the floors. I have two uncarpeted rooms there 

 already where I have long noticed that I cough less than elsewhere (the bathroom and my 

 workroom*). 



The weather has been delicious here this morning. I took a good 4 miles walk without 

 being tired, which is far in advance of what my powers were during the past summer. 

 How I wish you f could get up and take walks too ! We have a few friends already 

 come back 



Bessy's journeyings for meals on account of kitchen repairs at her own house are amusing. 

 So is V... B...'s consignment of beetles ! 



Loves to Bessy, Erasmus and all. What are Erasmus' walking powers now when at his 

 best? How many miles does he think he could manage 1 1 



Eva sends her love [here the handwriting changes] — and you will be glad to hear 

 that Uncle Frank is looking remarkably well; this place has done a great deal for him 

 mentally and physically ; he can walk and eat and sleep like any ordinary person, but 

 he does not present a very handsome appearance having a head still spotted with about 

 36 remaining bites from the mosquitoes of Hyeres. We are so happy here, yr. affect. Eva. 

 [Galton concludes] So much from Eva, who sketches and paints assiduously. 



Ever affectionately, Francis Galton. 



A characteristic letter showing two sides of Francis Galton's feelings, 

 towards his Alma Mater and towards his "sibship." One further letter 



* The "workroom" at Rutland Gate was a very depressing room, with a single window 

 looking into a well or high-walled court. On deal shelves were placed boxes of pamphlets and 

 papers ; it gave one the impression of a store-room rather than a study. I think Galton chiefly 

 worked, when on the ground floor at a writing table at the dining-room front window and 

 when on the first floor at an oak bureau in the drawing-room. 



t Francis was now 80, Erasmus 87, Emma 91 and Bessie 94 ! 



